Pattern control for axminster loom



June 26, 1956 L. N. LINSCOTT PATTERN CONTROL FOR AXMINSTER LOOM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14, 1954 INVENTOR 5-2 4.6790) /V. Aux/sco fATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. N. LlNSCOTT PATTERN CONTROL FOR AXMINSTERLOOM nunu 1| n u I SUB mmnn J NN I v. -I wl. l x WNW a I I I I E! I 1 II I I o I l June 26, 1956 Filed May 14, 1954 United States PatentPATTERN CONTROL FOR STER LOGM Leroy N. Linscott, Yonkers, N. Y.,assignor to Alexander Smith, Incorporated, White Plains, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application May 14, 1954, Serial No. 429,751

11 Claims. (Cl. 139-7) This invention relates to apparatus forcontrolling the length of a pattern woven on an Axminster loom, and moreparticularly to control mechanism by means of which the weavingoperations can be adjusted to cause the length of each repeat pattern inthe woven carpet to conform accurately to a predetermined value.

Narrow carpet as woven on an Axminster loom is usually laid in stripswhich must be matched in respect to the pattern in order for the overallarea to be of even and uniform appearance. However, during normalWeaving operations minor variations in pattern length may be produceddue to variations in tension of the warp which may be caused for exampleby changes in temperature and humidity or by variations in the size ofthe warp beam. Such variations in pattern length cause considerablediificulty in matching the pattern in successive strips of carpet whenthe carpet is laid on the floor, and require operations either forstretching or shrinking the strip so as to cause the various repeatpatterns to register accurately.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the abovementioned difliculties and to provide an accurate control so that therepeated patterns may be produced which are of exactly the same length.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention this isaccomplished by providing a cam or the like on the chain carrying thetube frames of an Axminster loom corresponding to a complete patternwhich is repeated at each complete revolution of the chain. The cam isadapted to produce an indication, either visible or audible, at eachrepeat of the pattern. A rotating disk driven by the woven carpet isdesigned to make a complete revolution for each repeat of the pattern.Hence by comparing the positions of the disk at successive actuations ofthe indicator the operator can determine whether the pattern is over orunder its predetermined length as calculated from the design.

The invention also provides a novel and improved take-up roll forfeeding the woven carpet through the loom with means for adjusting theroll to produce fine variations in rate of feed adapted to compensatefor any changes in pattern length.

In one embodiment this adjustable take-up roll includes a plurality ofparallel spike bars disposed around the periphery of the roll and sodesigned that axial movement of the spike bars causes a relatively smallradial adjustment which increases or decreases the effective diameter ofthe take-up roll. The arrangement is such that this adjustment can bemade by the operator while the loom is operating, so that corrections infeed may be made as required without stopping or reducing the overalloutput from the loom.

The nature of the invention will be better understood by referring tothe following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which a specific embodiment thereof has been set forth forpurposes of illustration.

2,751,937 Patented June 26, 1956 In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of a portion of an Axminster loom withparts in section to illustrate the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 showing theindicator cam on a loom chain;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. l but on a largerscale;

Figs. 4 and 5 are partial sections taken on the lines 4--4 and 5-5respectively of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the spike bars; and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3 showingthe drive for the indicator disk.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the invention is shown asapplied to a standard Axminster loom having a chain 10 carrying aplurality of tube frames 11 (only one of which is shown) which aresuccessively brought into weaving position to weave a pile carpet 12which is shown in Fig. 1 as passing over a guide bar 13 thence around atake-up roll 15, an idler drive roll 16, and a guide roll 17 to berolled into a roll or fed to a finishing station. Since the loom is ofstandard construction only so much thereof is shown herein as isnecessary to an understanding of the present invention.

The woven carpet 12 before passing to the take-up roll 15 is shown inFigs. 1 and 7 engaging a driving wheel 2% which is provided with pins 21for driving engagement with the carpet and is mounted on a shaft 22which is journaled in a bearing 23 carried by an arm 24 which isadjustably secured by bolts 25 to a bracket 26. The bracket 26 isattached to the frame 27 of the loom by bolts 28 which extend through anelongated slot 29 by which the position of the bracket 26 may beadjusted.

The shaft 22 carries a worm 30 meshing with a worm gear 31 on a shaft 32which is journaled in bracket 33 forming a part of the arm 24 andcarries at its free end an indicator disk 37 having an index mark 34 ata predetermined point on the periphery thereof. A stationary index mark35 on an arcuate member 36 carried by the arm 24 registers with theindex mark 34 on the disk 37 to indicate the length of the wovenpattern.

The size of the driving Wheel 20 and the ratio of the worm drive of thedisk 37 is so selected that when the woven pattern is of a predeterminedlength the disk 37 makes one complete revolution for each pattern repeatand is so set that at a predetermined point in each pattern, for exampleat the beginning of each pattern, the index mark 34 on the diskregisters with the stationary index mark 35. This registration willoccur at the same point in each pattern provided the woven patterns areof the correct length. If, however, the woven pattern is shorter thanthe predetermined length the index mark 34 will lag, taking a positionsuch as that shown in Fig. 7. On the other hand, if the woven carpet isof greater than the predetermined length, the index mark 34 will haveadvanced past stationary index 35 by the time the repeat pattern isreached.

In order to notify the operator of the loom when a predetermined pointin the pattern has been reached a cam 40 is attached to the chain 10carrying the Axminister tube frames. This cam 40 is shown in Fig. 2 asregistering with the arm 41 of a microswitch 42 to close the microswitch42 each time the chain 10 makes a complete revolution. This correspondsto the weaving of a complete pattern. Hence the microswitch 42 is closedat the same point in each repeat of the pattern as woven. The switch 42may be connected by a lead 43 to close the circuit to a light 44 so thatthe light 44 is flashed at each repeat of the woven pattern. The switch42 is also shown as connected to close the circuit to a bell 45 so as togive an audible indication that the repeat point has been ice , arecorrespondingly inclined.

have a corresponding-shape.

. 3 reached. The light 44 may for example be positioned to illuminatethe indicator disk 37 so that the operator, by observing therelationship of the index marks 34 and 35. when they are illuminated bythe light 44, can determine Whether or not the woven pattern islonger orshort er than the predetermined length.

In order to permit the operator to make fine adjustments in the lengthof the woven carpet as may be necessary to cause thevarious repeatpatterns to conform accurately to the predetermined length, the take uproll 15 is shown as providedwith a plurality of longitudinally extendingslots 50 which are disposed 'a'round'th'e periphery thereof and whichcarry registering spike bars 51 carrya ing feed spikes 52. 'Th'e spikebars 51 are provided with flatunder surfaces 53 and ,arcuate topsurfaces 54 carrying the spikes 52. Inclinedsurfaces 55 join the undersurfaces 53 andthe top surfaces 54. The under surfaces 53 of the spikebars '51 are inclined as shown in Fig. 3 so that the bars 51jtaper inthickness from one end to the other and the bottoms of the slots 50 inthe take up roll Referring to Fig. 3- the take-up roll 15 is shown asmounted on a shaft 64?. An adjusting nut 61 mounted on a hub 62journalled on the shaft 60, is provided with peripheral threads 53 whichengage corresponding threads on the underside of the various spike bars51 so that turning of the adjusting'nut 61 advances the various spikebars 51 laterally along the slots 59. .In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3shifting of the spike bars 51 to the left along the inclined *undersurfaces thereof serves to retract the bars radially and reduce theeffective diameter of the take-up roll. on theother hand shifting of thespike bars to the right as seen in Fig. 3 serves to cam the barsoutwardly andto increase the efiective diameter of the take-up roll. 7

For'turn'ingth'e adjusting nut 61 a hand wheel 64 is provided which isattached to the hub 62. A lock nut .65, operated by a second hand Wheel66 and threaded onto the shaft 60,,serves to secure the adjusting nut 61in any desired position. A-collar 67 on the shaft 60 limits the movementof the lock nut .65 to that necessary to clamp 'or release the adjustingnut 61.

It .will be noted that the bottom surface 53 of the spike bar is thesame width throughout the length of the bar whereas the 'width of theupper surface 54 tapers in accordance with variations in the thicknessofthe. bar, and

other at each rotation of the disk 33, depending upon Whether the indexmark 34 lags or leads its correct position.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown forpurposes of illustration it is to be understood that theinvention may beapplied to various uses and that changes and-adaptations may be madetherein as will be readily apparentto a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In an Axminster loom for weaving a carpet having a repeat pattern andhaving an endless conveyor carrying a set of Axrninster tube framesadapted to weave a complete pattern at each complete revolution; of saidconveyor and feed means for feeding the woven carpet past a weavingstation, a member positioned to be driven by the feed of the wovencarpet in advance of said feed means, an index member, meansconnectingsaiddriven member to cause said index member to make onerevolution in response to the feed of a length of woven carpetcorresponding to a predetermined pattern length, and means carried bysaid conveyorto indicate a predetermined repeat point in successivepatterns.

2. In an Axmin'ster loom for weaving a carpet having a repeatpattern andhaving an endless conveyor carrying a set of Axminster tube framesadapted to weave a complete pattern at each complete revolution of saidconveyor and feed means for feeding the woven carpet past a weavingstation, a member positioned to be driven by'the feed of the wovencarpet in advance ofsaid feed means, an index member, means connectingsaid driven member to cause said index member to make'one revolution inresponse to the feed of a length of woven carpet corresponding to apredetermined pattern length, a cam carried by said. conveyor and signalmeans actuated by said cam to indicate a predetermined repeat point insuccessive patterns. a

3. In an Axminster loom for weaving a carpet having a repeat pattern andhaving an endless conveyor carrying a set of Axminster tube framesadapted to weave a complete pattern at each complete revolution of saidconveyor and feed means for feeding the woven carpet past a weavingstation, a member positioned to be driven by the feed of the wovencarpet in advance of said feed means, an index member, means connectingsaid drive member to cause said index member to make one revolution inresponse to the feed of a length of woven carpet corresponding to apredetermined pattern length. and a cam carried by said conveyor, aswitch actuated bysaid cam and signal means actuated byrsaid switch toindicate a predetermined repeat point in successive patterns. V

4. in an Axminster loom for weaving a carpet having a repeat pattern andhaving an endless conveyor carrying a set of Axminster tube framesadapted toweave a comin a direction to shift the spike bars 51 towardthe right 7 as shown in Fig. 3, thereby raising the spike bars andincreasing the rate of feed of the carpet over the take-up roll 15.After the' adjustment has been made the lock nut is again tightened. Aspointed out previously this adjustment can .normally bemade withoutstopping the loom.

The adjustment is repeated as necessary until the length of the wovenpattern is such that the index mark 34 reg iste rs with the stationarymark 35"at each repeat point in the pattern. When this occurs the wovenpatterns are all of exactly the same length and all difiiculty inmatching during subsequent use of the carpet is eliminated.

It is to-be understood of course that the control may be made automaticif desired by connecting the disk37 to close circuits to a reversibleadjustment motor which in turn isconnected to drive the adjusting nut 61so that adjustment is automatically made in one direction or the pletepattern at each complete revolution of said conveyor and feed meansforfeeding the woven carpet past a weaving station, a member positionedto be driven by the 'feed of the woven carpet in advance of said feedmeans, an index member, means connecting said driven member to causesaid index member to make one revolution in 60 response to the feed of alength of woven carpet corresponding to a predetermined pattern length,a light to illuminate said index means, a switch actuated by said cam,and means connecting said switch to energize said light to indicate apredetermined repeatpoint in succes- V sive patterns. g V 5. In anAxminster loom for weaving-a carpet having a repeat pattern andl'havinganendless conveyor carrying:

a set of Axminster tube frames adapted to weave a complete pattern ateach completerevolution of said conveyor and feed means for feeding thewoven Carpetpast a Weaving station, a member positioned to be driven bythe feed of the woven carpet in advance of said feed means, an indexmember,,means connecting said driven member to cause said index memberto make. one revolution in,

response to the feed of a length of woven carpet corresponding to apredetermined pattern length, means carried by said conveyor to indicatea predetermined repeat point in successive patterns, and means foradjusting the rate of feed of said feed means to cause the patternlength in the woven carpet to conform to said predetermined length.

6. In an Axminster loom for weaving a carpet having a repeat pattern andhaving an endless conveyor carrying a set of Axminster tube framesadapted to weave a complete pattern at each complete revolution of saidconveyor and a take-up roll for feeding the woven carpet past a weavingstation, a member positioned to be driven by the feed of the wovencarpet in advance of said take-up roll, an index member, meansconnecting said driven member to cause said index member to make onerevolution in response to the feed of a length of woven carpetcorresponding to a predetermined pattern length, means carried by saidconveyor to indicate a predetermined repeat point in successivepatterns, and means for adjusting the rate of feed of said take-up rollto cause the pattern length in the woven carpet to conform to saidpredetermined length.

7. In an Axminster loom for weaving a carpet having a repeat pattern andhaving an endless conveyor carrying a set of Axminster tube framesadapted to weave a complete pattern at each complete revolution of saidconveyor and a take-up roll for feeding the woven carpet past a weavingstation, a member positioned to be driven by the feed of the wovencarpet in advance of said take-up roll, an index member, meansconnecting said driven member to cause said index member to make onerevolution in response to the feed of a length of woven carpetcorresponding to a predetermined pattern length, means carried by saidconveyor to indicate a predetermined repeat point in successivepatterns, and means for adjusting the effective diameter of said take-uproll to cause the pattern length in the woven carpet to conform to saidpredetermined length.

8. A take-up member for an Axminster loom, comprising a cylindrical rollhaving a plurality of longitudinal grooves disposed around the peripherythereof, spike bars carrying spikes for feeding a woven carpet mountedin said grooves, the under surfaces of said spike bars and the bottomsof said grooves being of uniform width throughout the length thereof toallow said bars to slide longitudinally of said roll, said grooves andsaid bars tapering in thickness from one end of said roll to the otherwhereby the longitudinal sliding of said bars alters the radialpositions thereof, said bars and said grooves having inclined side wallsadapted to secure said bars in dovetailed relationship in said grooves,and means shifting said bars longitudinally in said grooves for therebyvarying the effective diameter of said take-up member.

9. A take-up member for an Axminster loom, comprising a cylindrical rollhaving a plurality of longitudinal grooves disposed around the peripherythereof, spike bars carrying spikes for feeding a woven carpet mountedin said grooves, the under surfaces of said spike bars and the bottomsof said grooves being of uniform width throughout the length thereof toallow said bars to slide longitudinally of said roll, said grooves andsaid bars tapering in thickness from one end of said roll to the otherwhereby the longitudinal sliding of said bars alters the radialpositions thereof, said bars and said grooves having inclined side wallsadapted to secure said bars in dovetailed relationship in said grooves,and an adjusting nut disposed at one end of said cylindrical roll and inthreaded engagement with the under surfaces of said spike bars forshifting said bars longitudinally in said grooves and thereby varyingthe effective diameter of said takeup member.

10. A take-up member for an Axminster loom, comprising a cylindricalroll having a plurality of longitudinal grooves disposed around theperiphery thereof, spike bars carrying spikes for feeding a woven carpetmounted in said grooves, the under surfaces of said spike bars and thebottoms of said grooves being of uniform width throughout the lengththereof to allow said bars to slide longitudinally of said roll, saidgrooves and said bars tapen'ng in thickness from one end of said roll tothe other whereby the longitudinal sliding of said bars alters theradial positions thereof, said bars and said grooves having inclinedside walls adapted to secure said bars in dovetailed relationship insaid grooves, an adjusting nut disposed at one end of said cylindricalroll and in threaded engagement with the under surfaces of said spikebars for shifting said bars longitudinally in said grooves and therebyvarying the effective diameter of said take-up member, and a lock nut tosecure said adjusting nut in adjusted position.

11. A take-up roll for an Axminster loom, comprising a shaft, acylindrical roll thereon having a plurality of longitudinal groovesdisposed around the periphery thereof, spike bars carrying spikes forfeeding a woven carpet mounted in said grooves, the under surfaces ofsaid spike bars and the bottoms of said grooves being of uniform widththroughout the length thereof to allow said bars to slide longitudinallyof said roll, said grooves and said bars tapering in thickness from oneend of said roll to the other whereby the longitudinal sliding of saidbars alters the radial positions thereof, said bars and said grooveshaving inclined side walls adapted to secure said bars in dovetailedrelationship in said grooves, an adjusting nut journaled on said shaftat one end of said cylindrical roll and in threaded engagement with theunder surfaces of said spike bars for shifting said bars longitudinallyin said grooves and thereby varying the effective diameter of saidtake-up member, a lock nut on said shaft to secure said adjusting nut inadjusted position, and hand wheels attached to said adusting nut and tosaid lock nut respectively to permit adjustment thereof while said rollis rotating.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS988,694 Collins Apr. 4, 1911 1,053,279 Collins Feb. 18, 1913 1,810,636Adler June 16, 1931 2,052,493 Simmons Aug. 25, 1936 2,120,735 DebrieJune 14, 1938

